Expectations
by Tezuka Buchou
Summary: One Shot. Ryoma Echizen meets up with Kunimitsu Tezuka's expectations. Or does he? Contains SHONEN AI


Disclaimer:  The author does not own Prince of Tennis nor any of its characters.  They all belong to Takeshi Konomi.

Expectations

Ryoma Echizen dropped on one knee and gulped for much needed breaths.  His hold on his red Fila racquet tightened as he glared at his opponent: the strongest man in Seigaku, Kunimitsu Tezuka.  Beads of sweat ran down his face, his shoulders rising and falling rapidly with short, shallow breaths.

_Kuso!_  He thought in angry frustration.  When will he ever defeat the buchou?  Having a match against him made him feel like he was having a match against his own father.  He felt helpless, unable to pass through the impeccable defense his opponent built around his side of the court.  Whatever tricks he came up with, Tezuka never failed to counter them all.  Echizen couldn't shake the feeling that the buchou was still hiding some mouth-opening yet effective tennis moves underneath that cool mask of his while he already showed the moves he learned in his twelve years of existence just so he could defeat him.

_This is not good.  Not good at all._

The train sped by, making the ground tremble slightly with the locomotive's strength and speed.  The sound broke the silence that stretched between them as they once again faced each other on Haruno University's tennis court, the place where they usually played their secret matches.  The sun was slowly setting, casting a soft golden glow on the court, signaling that the long day, and match, had ended.

Echizen stood up when he saw the _buchou_ walk toward the net, the older boy's face calm and impassive as if he never played a long and tiring match against the freshman.  _Che_, he thought in irritation.  Can't anything break that cool mask of his?

Tezuka watched as Echizen stood up and rested his racquet on his left shoulder, lowering his white cap over his eyes as was his habit whenever he was annoyed.  The captain stopped in front of him, the net separating the two as Tezuka waited until the freshman got over his irritation and looked at him.

"You beat me again," Echizen muttered under his breath as he raised his sharp sherry-brown eyes to the bespectacled boy, "as expected of the Seigaku captain."

"Become Seigaku's pillar of support," Tezuka reminded him yet again, "and in order to do that, you have to surpass me with your own tennis."  Echizen's jaw clenched as he watched the _buchou_ leave the court with narrowed eyes.  Sometimes, he found himself hating the emotionless captain just because he couldn't think of a way to break him.  Then again, his respect for the said boy never dwindled.  In fact, it grew.

Kunimitsu Tezuka was unlike any other players who became airbags just because they knew they were famous and one of the best tennis players in the district.  He was quiet and strong.  And the team, as much as they would hate to admit it, acquired the strength to defeat their opponents from Tezuka.  Each wanted to win not only for the team nor for themselves but also for the captain and his silent expectations.

_Become Seigaku's pillar of support, huh?  I'll do better than that_, Echizen swore to himself as he walked toward his bag and picked it up, his gaze straying to the door where Tezuka disappeared into.  _I'm going to find out your weakness and break you_.

-oOOo-

"Something bothering you, _ochibi_?" Eiji Kikumaru asked his kouhai when he noticed that the freshman was merely toying with the food he ordered.  He, Kikumaru, and Momoshiro sat in an ice cream parlor, a place popular to kids for hang outs, after their afternoon tennis practice.  Kikumaru just about finished his ice cream when he saw that Echizen was just staring down at his crepe, while Momoshiro was busy gobbling up his order.  "If you're not going to eat that," Kikumaru continued, "Momo will take it away from you, leaving you with nothing more but the parsley."

The boy answered by pushing his plate away from him and toward Momoshiro who sat across him.  Hand under his chin, Echizen looked out the window and watched people walk by.

"Waaah!  _Domo_, Echizen!" He barely heard the junior say in delight before he attacked the crepe with unbelievable speed.  Kikumaru, who sat adjacent to the boy, looked at him worriedly, wondering what was troubling their _tensai_ rookie.  The acrobatics player shook his head; Oishi's motherly tendencies were starting to rub on him.  It wasn't healthy to hang around too much with the vice captain, he thought.  Besides, the freshman was just probably having one of those days---

"Ne, _sempai tachi_," Echizen suddenly spoke up, leaning back on his chair as he turned to look at his companions, "what do you think is the _buchou_'s weakness?"

"The _buchou_?"  "Tezuka?"  Both asked in surprise at the same time.  The boy nodded in response.

"I don't know," Momoshiro answered after he pondered at the question for a while, "he never struck me as someone who has a weakness."  He turned to the red head, "You should know, Eiji-_sempai_.  You're in the same year."

"Eh?" Kikumaru replied, "We don't talk about things like that, Momo.  If you want to know Tezuka's weakness, do what Inui does.  Gather some data."  He paused in thought.  "Then again, Inui confessed that he never got the correct data when it comes to Tezuka and Fuji," he turned to look at Echizen, tilting his head to one side in question, "why do you want to know, _ochibi_?"

"No reason," he shrugged.

Momoshiro chuckled, "You're not going to consider the _buchou_ as a rival, are you?"  He waved his hand in a careless manner, "Forget about it.  You have to defeat me first before you get on to the next level."

"Nobody in the Seigaku Tennis Team has ever defeated Tezuka," Kikumaru said, cupping the tall glass of ice cream in his hands, and watched it melt with uncharacteristic intensity, "his skill is way beyond junior high level.  Watching him play both scares and fascinates me."  Momoshiro looked up at Kikumaru, for it was the first time he heard the loud acrobatics player speak of someone with such seriousness and respect.  Echizen was surprised himself; it was rare to see the red head act so somberly.  "But," Kikumaru continued, looking up to meet his companions' interested gazes, "I may have an idea to what his weakness is."

"Really?" Momoshiro asked while Kikumaru nodded gravely in response.  "What is it?" The junior asked, leaning toward the red head, thinking that what they were discussing should remain inside their small group.  It wouldn't do good if rival schools hear of their invincible captain's weakness.  Echizen leaned toward his _sempai_ as well, his hands fisted in anticipation.

Finally.  Finally he was going to learn the captain's weakness.

"His glasses nya!" Kikumaru suddenly blurted out and grinned in that cat-like way of his, "Sneak beside him when he washes his face before a match and then grab his glasses and run for it.  You'll ruin his vision that's for sure!"

Momoshiro groaned and drop his head on the table.  Echizen leaned back on his seat and muttered, "That's dirty, Kikumaru-_sempai_."

On his way home, Kunimitsu Tezuka sneezed.

-oOOo-

His back was turned to him once again.  Echizen lowered the visor of his white cap over very annoyed golden eyes.  The Seigaku Tennis Captain stood with his arms folded across his chest near the courts, watching the team play according to their newest training menu.  Echizen sat on a bench some ten feet behind the captain, tying his shoelaces, as he waited for his name to be called for the next match.

Echizen glared at the silent figure before him.  The captain was as still as a marble statue, the sway of his lustrous bronze hair as it danced with the slight breeze was the only movement that defied his being a lifeless sculpture, his broad, blue and white jersey covered back was turned to him.  The freshman dropped his foot on the ground, pocketed his hands inside his jersey, and leaned back at the cyclone fence.

Why was it that whenever he looked at the captain, his back was always turned to him?  Surely it wasn't because he always stood in front of him.  It wasn't that simple, it was far more than that.  Echizen couldn't help but feel that the _buchou_ was always six or seven steps ahead of him, that it would take him quite some years before he could defeat him, before he could stand beside him and claim that he too was already in the national level, in his level.

"Echizen."  He looked up when he heard the captain call his name.  Without even turning around to face him, Tezuka continued, "You're next.  And your opponent is Kawamura."

Echizen muttered a yes and walked toward the court, his red racquet resting on his left shoulder.  He's going to show him, he thought as he crouched lower in a receiving stance, watching the burning Kawamura shout as he prepared for his service play.  He's going to show him how much he had improved since the last time they dueled.

The one set practice match continued.  Echizen was leading three games to one.  He smirked.  _How's that?_  He asked the captain silently for he knew Tezuka was watching their game.  _I improved, didn't I?_  He continued his mental conversation with the captain as he returned Kawamura's strong crosscourt shot.  _I'm going to beat you soon.  So don't stay smug!_

His eyes flashing gold, he shifted his gaze toward Tezuka to meet his cold steel eyes, but instead only found the words _Seigaku Tennis Club_ on the back of the captain's jersey.  Much to his absolute frustration, he realized that the captain wasn't watching his match.  He was busy discussing something with the team coach Ryuzaki-_sensei_ and the vice captain Oishi.  Echizen suddenly felt murderous, felt like jumping the captain, enclosing an arm around his neck in a tight headlock, and drilling a knuckle or two on his bronze head, shouting, "I'm playing here, so watch _me_!"

Then again, he was too short for that kind of attack and the mere thought was totally uncharacteristic of him.

Instead, he continued his match with Kawamura, losing two games in the process but nevertheless securing a win with a score of six to three in the end.  He then left the court.  At that moment, Tezuka, who finished his discussion with Ryuzaki-_sensei_ and Oishi, turned back to the courts and called the next pair for the following match.

Dropping his racquet inside his bag, Echizen exited the courts and walked toward the drinking fountain.  The match with Burning Kawamura-_sempai_ was exhausting.  The usually timid player had grown stronger and his shots more powerful.  Still, he was able to win and became a step closer to Seigaku's number one and two: Kunimitsu Tezuka and Syusuke Fuji.

Kunimitsu Tezuka. the club captain.  Echizen gritted his teeth as he turned on the faucet to drink.  Why he was even pissed off with the _buchou_ not watching his practice match against Kawamura-_sempai_ was beyond him.  He usually didn't care if the captain wasn't even in the courts before.  He didn't even care if he was present during practice or not.  In fact, he never noticed such trivial matters before.  But now, much to his confusion, it bothered him.

This feeling. it was troublesome.  What was it?

Was it perhaps because he had set Tezuka as his goal and was struggling to achieve that objective?  The captain as his goal? Echizen scoffed.  No, it couldn't be.  He was aiming higher than that.  He remembered stating, confessing even to Tezuka himself, that the reason why he played tennis was to defeat someone. to beat his damned _oyaji_.  But Tezuka got in the way, as if telling him that before he could surpass that someone, he must face the captain first.  And that was when Echizen decided that Tezuka would be a good stepping stone toward his goal.

Yes, he thought as he turned off the faucet, that's why he got annoyed.  He was having trouble keeping up with the _buchou_, so he practiced harder.  And what annoyed him further was Tezuka's lack of acknowledgement on his improvement.

He didn't stop to ask himself why he even needed a trifle thing such as an acknowledgement from Tezuka.

"Echizen," a deep voice suddenly called behind him.  Recognizing the voice, he straightened up and turned to face the very person who was troubling him.

Tezuka threw a tennis ball toward him.  Catching it with his left hand, Echizen looked at the silent captain in mild surprise.  Was he asking for another duel?

"Tomorrow," was all Tezuka said before turning to leave.  Echizen gripped the ball tighter as he watched the captain's retreating form, his back turned to him once again.  A match with the captain tomorrow, same time, same place.  A smile of anticipation curved Echizen's lips.  He was personally going to show the _buchou_ how much he improved.  He was going to show him his tennis.

-oOOo-

The ball flew back and forth across the court in an unbelievable speed.  The players gave it their all as they returned each others' vicious shots.  The match had lasted for quite a while but none of the players slowed down nor showed exhaustion.  It was a duel between two strong opponents and both had performed well.  But of course, only one shall reign victorious.

A green blur flew pass the stunned Tezuka, forcing him to turn his head as he watched the ball bounce against the wall and roll toward him.  He looked back at Echizen who fisted his right hand and made a triumphant sound under his breath.  He had secured four games from Tezuka.  And none was able to do that yet.  Except for him.

Tezuka narrowed his cool gray eyes, raising his spirit up a notch in the process.  Four games was all Echizen's going to get in their match, he vowed to himself.

And so it happened.

Echizen watched as the ball rolled toward the net, recognizing Tezuka's trump card, the Zero Shiki Drop Shot, instantly.  His white cap had fallen to the ground when he ran toward the net, tried desperately to return the shot he thought was going to be an ordinary crosscourt.

But it was too late.

Tezuka won.  Six games to four.

Echizen didn't raise his eyes to meet Tezuka's when the older boy walked toward the net.  Instead he sighed, "You beat me again."

"I watched your game with Kawamura this afternoon," Tezuka suddenly said, causing Echizen to look up at him in surprise, "You did well."

He watched his game?  But. he thought the captain wasn't paying attention to the match at all.  Suddenly, he wished that he was still wearing his cap to hide the pleasure that crossed his eyes.  It was good to know that the _buchou_ was watching after all.  He wasn't aware that he was turning red in embarrassment until Tezuka pointed it out.

"It's nothing," the freshman mumbled, lowering his golden eyes again, "I just thought no one was watching."  He felt uneasy all of a sudden.  He didn't know why but every time he looked at Tezuka, he was starting to feel differently toward him, as if he was becoming aware of him, of his presence and strength.  To him, Tezuka was no longer just the well-known captain of the Seigaku Tennis Club but was someone he started to admire and respect.  He had become someone special.

And the setting sun that gave Tezuka a warm, almost ethereal glow, wasn't helping at all.  For the first time in his life, he found someone who he can truly call beautiful.  He mentally shook his head.  What the heck was wrong with him?

After a long moment, Tezuka replied, "I was.  I've always watched you."

"_Aah_," Echizen shrugged, trying to ignore the implications of his words to him, "_domo_."

"Look at me," Tezuka commanded softly, surprising Echizen.  The freshman complied and slowly raised his golden eyes to meet with cool gray ones.  His brain stopped functioning right then, he almost drowned in those dark depths, slow to realize that Tezuka was bending toward him, leaning toward him until his face was a mere inch away.  Curiously, Echizen didn't move back.

The slightest brush of his lips on his sent a jolt through Echizen's small frame.  He couldn't think, he couldn't move.  His brain couldn't even process the notion that the _buchou_ himself was kissing him, yet his soft lips on his own felt wonderful.

Encouraged by the fact that the freshman wasn't resisting him at all, Tezuka cupped the back of Echizen's dark head and pulled him closer, deepening the kiss as he did so.  The captain almost lost his head when the boy started to kiss him back.

Out of breath, they parted.

"W-Why. did you do that?" Lack of anything to say, Echizen breathed out the question.

"I don't know," Tezuka replied honestly, "the idea's been going around my head for quite a while.  So I decided to act on it."  After saying this, he frowned and looked away.  He was never someone who revealed his thoughts.  But it was always so different when it came to Echizen.  They boy brought out both the best and the worst in him.  His best was him being his solid and strong mentor in tennis, giving out his all for the sake of the freshman, and his worst was him being selfish that he wanted to be always beside the boy, giving the lame excuse that he was supervising the boy's improvement.

In truth, he just wanted to be a part of his development, wanted to be an important part of his life, wanted to be someone who Echizen would never forget as time passed by.  He wanted to become someone special.

And if Echizen saw his interference in his play an annoyance, as how he thought the younger boy felt in the beginning, then so be it.  The freshman would learn how to accept him in the end.  And he was quite glad that he now did.

Unbeknownst to Echizen, he had met his captain's expectations.

Misinterpreting the frown he saw, Echizen asked, "Are you regretting it now?"

"No," Tezuka was quick to answer as he returned his gaze to the boy, "do you want me to?"

"No," Echizen answered, turning a bit red, "but I think we became a little bit careless a while back."

"I am never careless."

"Of course," he smiled as he quoted Tezuka's favorite line, "_Yuudan setso ni kou, ka_?"

Tezuka shot back as he released a little smile of his own, "_Mada mada, ka_?"  When Echizen chuckled, Tezuka knew that the special bond between them was strong, that what they felt for each other was mutual.  He almost released an uncharacteristic sigh of relief.  "Let's go," he said and turned toward the door to pick his tennis bag.  He waited until Echizen finished packing and led the way out.

Echizen didn't mind at all that Tezuka walked in front of him, that he was once again looking at his broad back.  After all he was only a few paces away from him.  And besides, sooner or later, he was sure he was going to walk beside the strong and silent captain.  He might not yet be in his level but he was sure, Tezuka treated him as such, treated him as an equal.

-oOOo-

A/N:   _Yuudan setso ni kou_ was Tezuka's favorite line in the anime which meant _Let's not get careless_.  I'm not sure with the spelling but that's how it sounded like.  ^^  Thank you for reading this fic.  I hope you liked it!  ^^


End file.
